But I Love You Now
by Sonata Rapp
Summary: Mark and Maureen do a little hooking up after a year or so. Roger helps them out and starts to like Maureen again. General good humor all around. Told by Maureen.
1. Chapter 1

But I Love You Now

Place: Mark and Roger's loft

Time: An hour after Mimi's revival

Synopsis: Roger and Mimi are out walking and repairing their relationship. Mark and Maureen are alone. Told from Maureen's point of view.

"Wow Mark, can you believe how far we've come?" asked Maureen. "I mean one day we're just running down the street acting crazy, and now we're having life changing heart to hearts and burying our friends."

"Only one of our friends Maureen" replied Mark "Mimi's going to be okay. Why do you always have to make everything sound so negative?"

"God Mark, why do you hate me so much" Maureen exclaimed, "Is it because of me dumping you? I'm sorry okay? Can't we just be friends baby?"

"I don't hate you Maureen; you don't know how much I don't hate you. And stop calling me baby." Mark told her and went into his bedroom slamming the door behind him.

Just as Maureen was going to knock on the door to talk to him, Joanne and Collins came in with the dinner.

"Hey Pookie" Joanne said coming to kiss Maureen. "We got that special salad you asked for."

"Great honey," Maureen said kissing her girlfriend back, although her mind really wasn't on it. Really she or I for that matter was thinking about the pale blue eyed young man in the next room. Thinking of him as I never had before.

Yeah, that's right I am Maureen Johnson. Twenty year old performance artist extraordinaire. If you're reading this then you probably know my story and those of my friends. This is what happens after all that starting from our last "No Day but Today"

Anyway we got out the food and stated to eat.

"Anyone seen the love birds?" Collins asked us.

"Yeah we're right here, keep your beanie on" said Roger as he and Mimi walked through the loft's garage like front door. Everyone got up to hug Mimi again.

"You guys" she said laughing "I'm going to be okay. So let's pay attention to Roger or Mark."

"Speaking of Mark" Roger interjected "Has anyone seen him? Maureen weren't you two talking?"

"Uh yeah" I began only to be cut off by Mark himself.

"I'm not really hungry so you guys go ahead. I'm going out for a while to film some more homeless people. Save me some chicken, will you? I'll be back." He picked up his camera and walked out the door.

Suddenly my eyes started watering. I knew I had to leave before I broke down right in front of everyone.

"Hey guys, I'm going to call it a night okay? I need a rest after all that's happened today. See you all tomorrow." I gathered up my stuff and left.

"What's with her?" asked Mimi

"Yeah" chimed in Collins "and Mark's acting weird too. I've never known him to pass up good chicken." Everyone turned to look at Roger.

"What?" he asked innocently

"Come on Roger, you're his best friend." Joanne reasoned "you must know what's up."

"Well I do know something," he said "but you might not like it Joanne"

"What is it?"

"Okay" Roger began, "for a while now we've all kind of had someone. You know me and my Mimi" he bent to kiss her "Collins had Angel and Maureen had you Joanne, when you weren't fighting. Mark was always kind of alone. And then when I went to Santa Fe he was really alone. So one night he said he wanted to talk to me. He started talking about how lonely he was. I told him he would always have me. But he said one day I would marry Mimi and have my own life. He wanted some one to love too. Specifically one somebody if you know what I mean."

Apparently no one did because they all just stared at him

"Come on you guys, you know who I'm talking about." Roger said

Joanne Inhaled sharply and said "Maureen"

"Exactly" was the response

"Well" Collins said, breaking the silence. "I'm gonna go now. Come on Joanne, I'll escort you back to the good side of town."

So Roger and Mimi were left alone.

"Let's go to bed" Roger suggested smiling

"Okay" Mimi agreed jumping onto Roger's back. "Let's go."

"Hey" he said "you aren't sick anymore, no free rides."

"Oh" Mimi said laughing, "I intend to pay you back in there"

"Then let's go" Roger laughed carrying her into the bedroom and closing the door quickly.

Meanwhile, I was walking down the street inadvertently humming "Christmas Bells" Suddenly it began to snow. Behind me I heard someone singing softly "And it's beginning to snow."

"Hi Mark" I said

"You look cold" he said putting his coat on me


	2. Chapter 2

"Walk with me?"

"Okay" I said falling into step with him.

"Do you remember when I first asked you out?" he asked me

"Yes" I said "It was snowing just like it is now." Then I sang softly "Kiss me it's beginning to snow." And Mark kissed me. I was so flustered that I made a joke.

"So what are we now, Roger and Mimi kissing in the snow? How cliché." I laughed nervously and Mark kissed me again.

"Mark" I stopped him, moving back. "you know we can't do this."

"I know" he said. "I just wanted to see something." Then he turned and walked back toward the loft. For awhile I just stood in the middle of the street. Then I really began to cry.

Did I still love Mark? I thought I was really over him. But if just one of his kisses could make my knees weak then apparently not.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

I woke up late the next around 3:00 pm.

"God I hate the sun" I mumbled as I dragged myself out of the bed. All the events of the night before came back to me.

Me standing there alone in the snow wishing I had decided not to become a lesbian. After Mark kissed me and left me alone, I went to the life café an got seriously drunk. Then I proceeded to stumble home and put myself to bed.

After a hot shower I started to feel a little better. Until my phone rang shattering my solitude.

"Hello" I mumbled into the receiver.

"Hey Mouth" came Roger's cheerful voice over the phone. "We're going to the Life Café around five to, you know, celebrate Mimi and me getting back together and all. You gonna come?"

"I'm not sure Roger" I said "I kind of have some stuff to do. I might not make it."

"Come on Maureen" Roger groaned. "Is it because of Mark? Because he said he didn't want to come either. What's going on with you two?"

"Roger" I warned "Please don't go there. I mean it was just one little kiss. It doesn't mean I'm hiding from him or anything."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You kissed? When did this happen?" Roger exclaimed.

"Um yesterday" I said "Didn't Mark tell you?"

"Uh, no" he told me "So that's why Mark won't come. This is so huge Maureen. Oh God what about Joanne?"

"Breathe Roger. Just calm down. Joanne does not need to know, because it didn't mean anything. It was stupid and spur of the moment and brought on by silliness and snow!" I screeched.

"What does snow have to do with anything? Maureen, you can't ignore this. Mark still cares about you. It probably wasn't just a stupid kiss to him. Mark doesn't kiss that many girls you know." Roger proclaimed.

"Oh God, what am I going to do Roger? I don't want to hurt Mark anymore than I already have. But I can't do this now. I mean-"

"I know" Roger interrupted. "Look, you go get your head together and I'll cover for you. Okay?"

"Thank you so much Roger. I'm going to go know. See you later." I hung up and went into my kitchen to make myself some tea.

I couldn't believe that after all I had put Mark through he could possibly still care about me. But then again we had always been close. And it was Mark who had encouraged me to pursue my performing. As I stood there my thoughts took me back to three years ago.

I was performing in Manhattan when I met him. I was right in the middle of doing a complicated jump twirl thing, when I saw a pair of ice-blue eyes staring at me in the crowd. When the show was over he came up to me.

"Hi" he said "I'm Mark Cohen and this is my friend Roger Davis. I hope you don't mind, but your performance was so wonderful I couldn't help but film it. So uh please don't sue me."

"It's cool" I told him "Um just don't use it for evil purposes. Well bye" And then I walked away.

"Hey wait" called Mark

"Look Mr. Cohen" I said and Roger burst out laughing.

"Thank you Roger" Mark said

"God you're like eighteen" Roger said "Mr. Cohen; that's funny!"

"Any way" Mark continued "I didn't get your name"

"Maureen Johnson" I told him "and now I really have to go. This job doesn't pay. So I have to go to my other one that does. Sorry to be rude."

"Where do you work Maureen?" Mark asked me "Maybe I'll come see you sometime"

"Are you a stalker?" I asked Mark

"No I just really admire you" he told me.

I work at Joe's Pub as a waitress." I informed them. Then I turned to Roger. "Don't you perform there sometimes in a band?" I asked

"Oh yeah" he said "Me and The Well Hungarians."

"That's cool." I said "So yeah Mark, come with Roger sometimes. You'll see me. Bye" And then I left while Mark was hitting Roger.

"What?" Roger asked

"Why do girls always seem to migrate to you?" he responded

"Hey, I've got it like that." Roger said smugly.

I chuckled to myself as I walked toward the subway. Yeah Roger was cute; that much was obvious. But there was something about Mark. Maybe it was his eyes or his boyish clumsy charm. Whatever it was I liked it.

He started coming to see me at work nightly and we talked longer and longer. Up until one early December night. Mark was walking me home as he did on most nights. This is how I learned so much about him and his friends, Roger, Collins, and Benny. Anyway, on that night it had just started snowing when we left the Pub. As we walked along Mark stopped suddenly.

"What?" I asked

"Will you go out with me Maureen?" he wanted to know. His usually pale face was very red.

I laughed and said "Well I'm pretty sure you're not a stalker so okay." Then he smiled and took my hand as we kept walking. When we got to my house he said "Hey, I'll call you tomorrow okay?"

"Sure", I said. As I turned to go into the house Mark kissed me on the cheek and smiled as he walked away.

The whistling of my tea kettle brought me back to the present. Mom had always said that tea was good for head aches and boy did I have one. I chose an orange blend of tea made with spices. Mark always said I was spicy. I want back to my memories.

For our first date Mark took me ice skating at Times Square. We had so much fun. Then Roger showed up with his girlfriend April. Introductions were made and I discovered that she worked at Joe's Pub as well. This is kind of the reason I started living with Mark. He and Roger would come and pick April and me up from work, and then we usually just spent the night with them at the loft.

We were all fresh out of high school and kind of immature, but we had a great time. At least up until April killed herself, after that thins pretty much went down hill. Well actually a little before that. I still remember the night she died.

I had just come home from work, a year after Mark and I had started dating and six months after I had first moved in with him. "Hey Baby" I said coming to kiss Mark. "Where's Roger?"

"Who knows?" Mark responded "Where's April?"

"She wasn't at work tonight." I told him.

"Great, so now we know where they are. I can't believe they are being so fucking stupid!" Mark exploded.

"Mark" I comforted "You don't know that's what they are doing."

"Yeah? Well Roger borrowed twenty dollars from me this morning."

"And April got thirty from me last night." I said

"Those are our friends." Mark said bitterly.

"So where are Benny and Collins?" I asked him.

"Benny's with that girl he's creeping with and Collins had to go out of town. So I guess-"

Suddenly Roger came through the door. His eyes were dull and vacant like they were on most Saturdays.

"Sup Mark" he slurred "hey Mouth how you doing?" Mark just looked at Roger and got up and walked into his room.

"What's his problem?" Roger wanted to know.

"What do you think Roger?" I yelled at him, "Every weekend you take his money and go get stoned. And your girlfriend does too. Not only are you killing yourself every time you do this, but April goes down with you, and you stab Mark right in the back. But what does he do? He always stands by you." I shook my head and went into Mark's room.

"You okay baby?" I asked him.

"Why Maureen?" he asked me "Why does my best friend have to be so dumb? When we were kids we always said we would stay clean forever. He never keeps his promises to me. Why am I even friends with him?"

"Because sweetie, you love him." I said laying my head on his shoulder.

"No" he said pulling me into his lap, "I love you."

After that we became so "distracted" that we didn't notice that April didn't come home until five that morning. Or that she and Roger had a fight about her taking the last of his stash. And we certainly didn't know that she felt so guilty about just coming from the clinic and having HIV and giving it to Roger that she slit her wrists at 6:45 am. At least not until we found her at eight.

But that's beside the point. Mark and I tried to help Roger out of his post April slump. Mostly because we were not too happy with each other. That would be my fault.

One night I was performing for the almost empty Joe's Pub. This man was staring at me when I was done.

"Hey" he said "You're really good."

"Thanks" I told him

"I have a company who produces people like you. You should come back to my place and we'll talk."

"That sounds good" I said "Just let me call my boyfriend."

"Sure" he said " I can wait for you."

So I called Mark.

"Hey babe" he answered "I can't come get you tonight because Roger is really messed up."

"Mark" I said sighing "Roger has been messed up for the past six months. What has changed today?"

"He wont even come out of his room" Mark told me

"Whatever," I said "Anyway, I'm going to a friend's house tonight." Mark knew I didn't have any other friends but his friends. But he still told me to go ahead because he was hung up on Roger. He was always hung up on Roger in those days. I tried not to get jealous but I couldn't help it. I was upset, even though I knew it was stupid and selfish of me.

So I left with the guy whose name I still don't know. To make a long story short, we went to his house, I slept with him, got mad when he told me he really didn't have a production company, hired a lawyer to sue him, told Mark all, and I mean all, about it, he got pissed and blew up at me, I broke up with him and slept with my lawyer Joanne, who by the way won my case. You know the rest from there.

So anyway, after I drank the nasty tea and went over old memories, I called my mother.

"Hey Mom" I greeted when she answered the phone.

"Oh hello Maureen" she replied unenthusiastically. "How are you and your partner?"

"Joanne and I are fine mother." I told her. "I actually wanted to talk to you about some feelings I've been having about maybe ending it with her."

"Why, so you can go out with another girl?" my mom asked sarcastically

"No" I said heaving a sigh. "I've actually been thinking about Mark."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

I went to my mother's house around 4:30 pm. She was so happy to hear I was getting back on the straight path, if you know what I mean. Plus she just adores Mark so it helped that I was trying to get back together with him.

Anyway my mother's maid (yes I come from noble stock) opened the door and led me to my mother's study. And there she was in all her glory. Nancy Johnson, age 47. Not that any of that is important. What is really important is the advice she gave me. When I told her Mark still cared about me she said that the ball was in my court. That I had to decide if I still cared about Mark. And I had to do it soon, so not to hurt Joanne. Deep inside I knew she was right. So I did a little soul searching, and I realized that I did still love him. But I had to figure out how to tell him. I knew I would need some help, so I went to the one person who knew every thing about Mark. I went home and called him.

"Mimi?" he answered on the second ring. "Is that you sweetie?"

"Um no, pookie bear it's Maureen" I responded tartly. "Why are you asking about Mimi? Aren't you two like joined at the lips?"

"Ha ha Mouth, very funny." Roger said. "Actually, she's pissed at me again right now because she said I was looking at another stripper. And I told her she was the only stripper for me and that she could be my personal lap dancer if she wanted. I don't know why she got so mad."

"Women aren't possessions Roger." I informed him. "We don't like to be objectified. And it's no secret that you are a little pervert, so you probably were looking at some random stripper."

"Hey I'm a guy, so sue me. Or rather don't you'll sleep with lawyer again." he joked.

"You know what? Fuck you Roger!" I said angrily slamming down the phone. I know it was stupid for me to get so upset, but I was sick of Roger always ragging on me about that. And I really wished he'd stop calling me Mouth. So what if I was a little loud sometimes?

I sighed and went to my refrigerator to find something to eat. I settled on a veggie burger and some chips. I was sitting down to eat when the door bell rang. Knowing my luck it would probably be Joanne. But much to my surprise it was Roger standing outside when I opened the door.

"What?" I asked full of hostility

"Mimi is being really mean to me so I decided to come over here and see you." was his reply.

"Yeah Roger, what part of 'fuck you' don't you understand?" I snapped at him.

"Jeez, I didn't think you were serious. You know how I love to joke around." he said.

Now I was really mad. "Yeah well you like to sleep around as well but that doesn't you should." I said angrily

"Oh God that's rich coming from the Queen of the Loudass Lesbosluts." he snapped back. That really hurt me and I started to cry.

"Hey" he said "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. Please don't cry Maureen." He closed my front door and wrapped hi big arms around me.

"But you're right" I sobbed into his chest. "I am a slut. God what have I done to him? I love Mark. What am I going to do?"

"Whoa," he said pulling back. "You love Mark?"

"Yeah" I answered sniffling "I really do."

"Wow" Roger responded. Then he looked at me. "Hey you know you're really cute when you're not yelling and acting crazy Mouth."

"Thanks" I chuckled. "Roger would you please stop calling me Mouth?"

"Sure" he said back, suddenly very close. "If I can kiss it. Your mouth I mean." Before I could answer, he had pressed his warm lips against mine. We kissed for about thirty seconds and I felt nothing.

"Roger" I whispered. "Stop we can't. Mimi and Mark remember?"

"Oh yeah" he grunted. Then he broke into a smile.

"What are you grinning like that for?" I demanded.

"Do you realize what just happened here?" he asked me "The old Maureen would have jumped on my fine ass and cheated the night away. But you didn't. You must really love Mark this time.

"I really do Roger, but I don't know how to tell him." I said. "I can't very well walk up to him and blurt it out."

"Why not?" Roger wanted to know. "Mark loves you too, so he should be glad to hear it. Did you know that before you two broke up he was talking marriage?"

"Are you serious?" I gasped "Mark wanted to marry me? Why?"

"I asked myself the same question when he told me." I hit him in the head, "Hey you know we didn't really get along back then Mou- I mean Maureen."

Just then my phone rang again. It was Mimi this time.

"Hi Maureen" she said "Have you seen Roger?"

"Yeah, I just saw him. He was on his way to your place with a big bunch of flowers."

"Aww" she gushed "he's so sweet." I hung up and handed Roger a ten dollar bill.

"What's this for?" he wanted to know

"Hello, Mimi's expecting flowers. You helped me so now I'm helping you. Now go on and see your girl."

"Thanks Maureen" he said hugging me again. "Well duty calls." and with that he left.

I laughed to myself as he walked out the door. Then I plopped down on the couch. What on earth was I going to say to Mark? If he was thinking marriage was I ready? I really didn't know about that. So I had just decided to take a hot bubble bath to ease my brain, when my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered snatching it up.

"Hey Maureen" Joanne's voice said over the phone. "We need to talk. Can you meet me at the Life Café at nine?"

"Okay" I responded meekly "I'll be there." _ Well this is as a good a time as any to tell her about Mark. _I thought to myself.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the Life café was that Joanne was not there. It was odd because I was a good fifteen minutes late and Joanne was always on time.

"Hey" the waiter called to me. "You Maureen?"

"Yeah" I answered

"Someone left this for you." he told me handing over a folded piece of paper. I sat down and unfolded it. It was a letter.

Dear Maureen, it began in Joanne's perfect handwriting.

I know this will come as no surprise to you, but I know you want to cheat on me again. Unlike all the other times however, I am ending this before it happens. I will always care about you Maureen. You taught me a lot about myself and how to let loose more. I thank you for that. I know this sounds like I am dying or something, but we'll still be friends. I just wanted to clarify our position beforehand. So we don't need to discuss it anymore. Good luck with Mark.

Love,

Joanne

_Wow, she made it so easy for me._ "Thank you Joanne" I whispered. I got up and left the café. If Joanne could do this, then I was going to take the plunge and go talk to Mark.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

About ten minutes later I was standing outside Mark and Roger's loft. I was just working up the courage to knock when Collins came up behind me.

"Yo Maureen" he greeted. I jumped and turned around.

"God, Collins you scared the crap out of me." I greeted him back.

He chuckled and said "If you're looking for Mark, he's not here"

"Then where is he?" I asked him.

"I don't know" he admitted. "It's like the two of you have been AWOL all day. I'll bet Roger knows where he is though. You know they share one brain."

"I just talked to Roger about Mark and he didn't say anything." I told him.

"So Maureen" Collins asked slyly "What is up with you and little Marky?"

"I'm not really sure. I guess Joanne and I just broke up so I really need to talk to him."

"Wow" he said "so the rumors are true. You and Mark are trying to get back together."

"I guess you could put it like that" I responded with a smile. Just then a shirtless Roger flung the door open.

"It's always very well if you two want to talk" he informed us. "but could you please be quieter? Some people are trying to sleep here."

Collins and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"And just what is so funny?" Roger growled. We pushed past him into the loft and I said "Like anyone is sleep in here." Mimi came out wearing Roger's shirt.

"Hey Maureen, hey Collins." she said. "Roger, leave them alone and come back to bed. I wasn't finished yet."

We collapsed in laughter again as Roger said "Oh shut up" and went back into his room.

"So" Collins said walking to the fridge. "Let's see what they've got to eat over here."

I wasn't really listening to him though. I was looking at the young man standing in the doorway. Whose blue eyes were piercing my soul.

"Hi Mark" I said softly.

"Maureen" he responded "Hey Collins, what's up?"

Collins looked from me to Mark and said "You know what? I have a lot of papers to grade. I better get home." he hurried out the door leaving Mark and me alone. Mark turned to go to Roger's room.

"I wouldn't go in there." I spoke up. "He and Mimi are, well as Roger put it 'sleeping'."

He rolled his eyes and yelled "Rog, I'm back!"

"Great for you" was Roger's breathless reply.

"Typical Roger" said Mark going to sit on the couch.

"Mark we need to talk." I told him.

"About what?" he wanted to know.

"About us" I told him softly.

"Maureen there is no us." he informed me. "There's me and there's you. And standing between any possible us, are all the men and women you have yet to sleep with."

"It wouldn't be like that this time. Mark I love you." I told him.

"Oh so you love me now? But what about when we were actually together? Who did you love then Maureen? Because it sure wasn't me. And what about Joanne, do you love her too?"

"Mark" I sobbed "Joanne and I over. I didn't really love her anyway."

"That's not surprising." he scoffed "What did you do? Cheat on her again? You know, I think you need to learn what love really means because you keep throwing it out and not meaning it."

Then I realized that he was right. I had told Mark I loved him the first time we were together. I told Joanne I loved her too. Truthfully I did love Mark the first time. I was just hurt because he was ignoring with Roger and his camera. That's the reason why I started cheating in the first place, and once I had started I found it hard to stop. It continued that way even with Joanne.

"You're right Mark." I finally answered. I got up to leave. "But you're wrong about one thing."

"What's that?" he inquired.

"I did love you back than and I do love you now." I said quietly and walked out the door. I barely heard him whisper. "I know."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Roger awoke that morning at around three. Mimi was sleeping peacefully beside him. He smiled to himself knowing she would be asleep for along time after what they had done. So he decided to go check on Mark.

"Hey Mark." he greeted coming out of his room. Mark gave no response just continued to stare at the wall.

"Yo Mark, anyone home?" Roger said waving his hand in front of Mark's face.

"Roger" he said slowly "Maureen loves me."

"So she told you?" Roger asked. "Congratulations Mark. She's good for you. And maybe you could calm her down." He suddenly caught sight of Mark's face.

"What's wrong?" Roger asked concerned. "She did tell you right? I thought you'd be happy."

Mark turned to look at Roger. His eyes were bright with tears.

"She said she loved me and I turned her away. I brought up all the old stuff we went through and then she left." Mark told him. Roger stared at Mark, and went to beat his head against the wall.

"Are you crazy?" Mark exclaimed.

"No but you are." Roger shouted back. "Were you not the same guy who sat right here on this very couch and complained about how lonely you were? About how you wanted Maureen back and how you still loved her? And now when she comes back here and practically throws herself at you, you turn her away."

"Roger" Mark interrupted

"No" Roger continued to shout "Do you know how hard it was for her to come over here and tell you that she loves you?"

"No" Mark shouted back. "But I know how easy it will be for her to leave me when someone better comes along."

Roger shook his head and sighed. "Mark" he said coming to sit with him on the couch. "It really wouldn't be like that. Trust me I know. I kissed her earlier and she did nothing. And if she's not attracted to me, then no one could take her from you. She has really changed Mark. I think you should give her another chance."

Mark was silent for a moment, then he sighed loudly. "You're wrong you know." he said finally.

"Mark" Roger groaned and Mark started to smile.

"You're really not that good looking." They both laughed. "Wow I'm surprised we didn't wake Mimi up with all of that."

"Yeah" Roger said smugly. "She's sleeping real deep right now. She won't wake up for a while."

"Too much information Rog." Mark said. Then he got serious. "Thank you though. I know how hard it is for you to take up for Maureen."

"Actually" Roger said thoughtfully. "I rather like her now. So if you get tired of her, send her my way."

"I feel so sorry for Mimi." Mark said laughing.

"Don't" Roger answered "She is well taken care of. Now go get Maureen back."

"Thanks" Mark said walking out the door.

During all this I was sitting outside in the snow in my front steps. I really didn't know what I was going to do. How was I going to prove to Mark that I was serious? Suddenly, as if my thoughts wished him there, Mark was walking down up the street towards me. I didn't want him to see the tears on my face so I hid it in my hands. I heard him come up beside me and sit down.

"Maureen we have to talk" he was saying.

"About what?"

"About us" was his soft reply.

"I thought there was no us." I said tearfully. "You said there was you, me and the people I had yet to sleep with."

"I was wrong." he said simply. "There has always been, and will always be, an us. I was afraid to realize that before. But everyone else saw it."

I nodded weakly. "I know, even Joanne saw it. She broke up with me earlier because she wanted us to be together."

"So do I." Mark replied. I shook my head, not daring to believe that it was going to be so easy to get him back.

"How do you know I won't cheat on you again?" I asked him. "I've already kissed Roger today."

"Yeah I know" he said. "Roger told me he kissed you and nothing happened. He said that if you didn't go for him then no one could ever take you from me." he laughed a little and I smiled.

"Actually," I said "Roger's really not that cute. I'd much rather be with a smart guy with glasses who could try and calm me down."

Mark just stared at me and I wondered if I had gone too far. Until he leaned over and kissed me firmly on the mouth.

"What was that for?" I asked breathlessly.

"You are the first girl to choose me over Roger. I absolutely love you." he said, kissing me again.

"I love you too, and this time I really mean it."

"I know" he responded. "It's cold, let's go inside and find some way to warm up." he raised his eyebrows suggestively. I laughed and let him pull me up and against his chest.

"You know what would make this moment perfect?" I asked him, looking up into those blue eyes I knew so well.

He smiled down at me, and like magic it began to snow around us. Mark leaned down and kissed me for a third time.

"Perfect" he whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Epilogue

"Okay you guys here we go." I said happily as I tossed my bouquet behind me. After much squealing and laughing I turned to see who had caught it.

I couldn't believe I was finally here. That I had finally found and married the man of my dreams. It was a sunny August day; my twenty-first birthday to be exact. It was Roger's idea. He said turning twenty-one and getting married made you more mature, so we decided I needed all the maturity I could get and did both on the same day.

Mark and I ha dated successfully for almost a year after that night. I didn't cheat on him once. Eventually I even told him why I had cheated on him in the first place. He understood better than I ever thought he would. But then again he was my Mark and we were closer than ever. Ironically he proposed to me on Valentine's Day, which was the day Joanne and I had almost gotten committed. Somehow I knew this relationship would work. I was willing to spend the rest of my life making sure it did.

I turned around to see who had caught my bouquet. Mimi had it and was looking at Roger warily. He nudged her. "So how bout it?" he asked "Marry me?"

She glared at him "Roger Davis, if you think I'm going to marry you without you giving me a ring or anything-" the words died in her mouth as Roger whipped out a huge diamond ring.

"So will you marry me?" he asked again

"Okay" Mimi agreed and they kissed.

We went through the rest of the wedding stuff and proceeded to the reception, where Mark and I were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Mark Cohen. As we danced our first dance as husband and wife, I looked around at all my friends. Collins was dancing with Joanne and her new girlfriend the Yale graduate doctor, Roger and Mimi doing it in the corner where they thought no one could see them, even Benny was there, sitting at a table with Alison. And of course, Angel was in everyone's hearts. And for once in my life I was completely happy. Mark looked down at me and said "Hey, I bet I know what you're thinking." I laid my head on his shoulder.

"What, Mr. Smarty-pants?"

"This is perfect" he said smiling. And we kissed simple as that. Perfect.

No Day But Today!


End file.
